1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of swimming pools and related pool cleaner systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an advantageous booster pump assembly for use with fluid supply lines connected to pool cleaners and the associated booster pump systems.
2. Background Art
Motor-driven pumps for use with swimming pools and/or spas are generally known in the art, wherein the pump is adapted to deliver a flow of water under pressure to one or more pool equipment items prior to recirculation of the water to the pool or spa. For example, modern swimming pool and/or spa facilities typically include a filtration unit containing an appropriate filter media for collecting and removing solid debris, such as fine grit, silt, twigs, leaves, insects, and other particulate matter, from water circulated therethrough. A motor-driven pump draws water from the pool and/or spa for delivery to and through the filtration unit, and for subsequent return circulation to the pool and/or spa. Such pumps are typically operated on a regular schedule to maintain the water in a desired state of cleanliness and clarity. The pump may also circulate the water through additional equipment components or units, such as heating and chemical treatment assemblies and the like.
In some installations, the water can be circulated from the filtration unit to and through a hydraulically driven pool cleaner device mounted in the pool or spa and adapted for dislodging and collecting debris and particulate which has settled or otherwise accumulated on submerged surfaces. Exemplary hydraulically driven pool cleaner devices are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,425; 4,558,479; 4,589,986; and 3,822,754. In some pool equipment configurations and systems, a secondary or so-called booster pump is provided for boosting the pressure of water supplied to the pool cleaner device for ensuring effective operation thereof.
A swimming pool normally includes a water filtration system for removing dirt and debris from the pool water. Such filtration systems typically include a circulation pump which is installed/position outside the swimming pool and a piping system for coupling the circulation pump to the swimming pool. The circulation pump draws water from the swimming pool for delivery through the piping system to a filter unit.
Conventional water filtration systems exhibit certain limitations with respect to silt and debris removal. Such limitations generally relate to size, weight and other debris characteristics. To address the foregoing limitations, automatic swimming pool cleaners for cleaning the floor and sidewalls of a swimming pool have been developed and are known. Pool cleaners in the pool cleaning market generally fall into one of four categories: pressure or return side cleaners; suction cleaners; electric cleaners and in-floor cleaners. Of these four cleaner categories, only the pressure/return-side cleaner generally implicates incorporation of a booster pump into the pool system.
Generally, “pressure” or return-side cleaners use pressurized water from a pump delivered to the cleaner to sweep and collect debris into a bag carried by the cleaner. Pressurized cleaners can be grouped into at least two sub-categories—those requiring a booster pump and those that do not. In typical pool installations, booster pumps can be used in conjunction with a skimmer pump and/or a circulation pump associated with a pool's filtration system to provide pressurized water to a cleaner at a rate sufficient to operate the cleaner effectively.
Current pool cleaning systems that include booster pumps are characterized by a booster pump that includes inlet and outlet fittings that are ¾ inch in diameter. Fittings associated with pool cleaners, particularly pressure or return-side cleaners, feature fittings that are 1½ inches in diameter. To connect the booster pump to the cleaner, tubing and/or hoses are typically employed. In conventional pool cleaning installations that include a booster pump, tube(s) and/or hose(s) of 1½ inch diameter are typically connected to the cleaner and extend to the booster pump. However, to mate the 1½ inch diameter tube/hose with the ¾ inch diameter booster pump fitting, an appropriate diameter reduction is required. Similarly, the water fed from the pool to the booster pump typically flows through larger diameter tubing/hoses, e.g., tubes/hoses of 1½ inch diameter. As a result, a throttling of the water flow is required to feed such flow into the ¾ inch booster pump inlet.
While conventional installations are effective to route water from the pool to the booster pump and from the booster pump to the pool cleaner, several issues have been observed with current system pool assemblies and systems. As water is fed to and from the booster pump undesirable noise levels have been encountered. Contributions to undesirable noise levels associated with conventional booster pump operation may derive from several aspects of conventional assemblies. For example, noise may be caused by throttling of water flow to a lesser diameter flow path as it enters the booster pump, i.e., from a “bottle neck” effect associated with the booster pump drawing a high volume flow through a reduced diameter inlet (as compared to the tube/hose routing the flow thereto). In addition, pressure effects as the booster pump steps up the water pressure and feeds the pressurized water into a region of diameter expansion. Beyond noise issues, the step-down and step-up in flow diameter undesirably increases strain on the motor.
Accordingly, a need exists for improved pool cleaning/circulation systems that include a booster pump exhibiting reduced noise levels and experiencing reduced operational strain on the motor associated with the booster pump. A need also exists for a more efficient pool cleaning and/or circulation system utilizing a booster pump. These and other needs are met, and the disadvantages and/or limitations of prior art systems are addressed and/or overcome, by the assemblies and methods of the present disclosure.